The webinar opened with a welcome address from Prof Başak Başoğlu (ELI Turkish Hub Co-Chair; Pîrî Reis University, Istanbul) and was followed by a presentation of the ‘ELI Draft of a Revised Product Liability Directive’ by Ms Beril Kaptan (Attorney at Law at Accomplie, Berlin). Discussions were led by Prof Şebnem Akipek (TED University, Ankara), Prof Ceyda Süral Efeçınar (Pîrî Reis University, Istanbul) and Prof Samim Ünan (Pîrî Reis University, Istanbul).

Ms Beril Kaptan who translated the ELI Draft of a Revised Product Liability Directive to Turkish gave an overview of the ELI Draft and compared it with the 1985 Product Liability Directive. This was followed by a contribution from Prof Şebnem Akipek, who delivered a lecture on the Turkish Law on Product Safety and Technical Regulations which came into force as of March 2021 (Law numbered 7223). She explained that the Law aimed at transposing both the 1985 PLD and the 2001 Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) but it has many shortcomings including addressing the problems of product liability in the digital age. She also discussed whether digital products can be included within the scope of the Law.

Subsequently, Prof Ceyda Süral Efeçınar delivered a lecture on the law applicable to product liability in Turkey (see article 36 of the Turkish Private International and Procedural Law) and explored the applicability of European product liability legislation in Turkey.

Finally, Prof Samim Ünan gave a lecture on the product liability insurance and its coverage in Turkish.

The lectures were followed by lively Q&A session during which participants discuss various problems including cyber security and artificial intelligence in the context of digital products and product liability.

More information is available here.

The recording of the webinar is available below: